I've used the post 9/11 GI Bill for my two oldest for some of their college. Here's a couple of notes from my experience (I was in the group of folks who were eligible without having to take any additional commitment when the program first started):
- The base education office didn't know much about it. You had to go direct to the VA.
- The VA web-site is rather painful to figure out what form you need to fill out and when.
- It was not widely known at the time, but make sure to transfer at least one month to ALL your dependents (including your spouse) ... otherwise, I have heard that once you've separated / retired, you will not be able to transfer any to that dependent. I transferred 16 months to my eldest, 15 months to my 2nd, one month each to my youngest 4 kids and wife.
- You can adjust the months allocated to each dependent while still on active duty relatively easily on the website.
- Once you've retired / separated, you can no longer change the allocation on the web -- you must write a letter to the VA.
- When it comes time for your dependent to use the GI bill, THEY are the one who has to contact the school and the VA to get the money rolling.
Bottom line, it's a bureaucratic pain, but a great benefit in appreciation for our service. Most schools have probably sorted out the bureaucratic process by now.